The Laughing Wolf

I faxed a letter to Governor Granholm, who had been requested to get up off her duff and get involved by several organizations. Faxing and mailing work best, as e-mail is most often ignored by politicians. The reply I got deserves quite a fisking, and I have shared it around with some other bloggers. The hope had been to do a coordinated fisk, but that went out the window, so here is mine:

Thank you for taking the time to express your concerns regarding the well being of children whom the court has placed under the supervision of the Family Independence Agency (FIA). Your willingness to speak up shows your commitment to Michigan's children.

Ah, yes. The children of the state, the empire. Very clearly, not the children of the parents, but of the state. Thank you for making that clear. I also love the name of the agency, with its clear implication of independence from the birth/real family.

As you may know, the FIA has the responsibility of overseeing the state's foster care system and relies upon the involvement of its citizenry as a key partner in identifying and preventing child abuse and neglect. The FIA takes all such concerns very seriously and is taking proactive steps to strengthen child welfare practices across the state. You should also know that Child Protective Services investigates each specific concern to ensure child safety and well being. Ultimately, we are all committed to protecting the best interest of all child placements under auspices of the states' foster care system.

Yep, the snitch lines for anonymous informants, the seizure of children and placing them in the system. Of course, the bounty placed on each child has nothing whatsoever to do with this desire to be so proactive. And ensuring child safety means breaking up families to suit, and placing the children in homes with known sex offenders. After all, it is through these placements that the bounties get paid, and all agencies and such get their cuts. This only happens with placements, however, and not if the children stay with the family.

Please be advised that each child who is in foster care through the state of Michigan is provided with a system of checks and balances for their care, all of which work together to ensure safety and well being. First, each foster child has a court appointed lawyer guardian ad litem to represent the best interest of the child in court. Second, each parent is allowed to have legal representation. Third, either the local prosecuting attorney and/or the Attorney General's Office are involved in each case to ensure child safety and well being. Fourth, each foster child as an agency social worker assigned to ensure that the best interest of the child is at the forefront of case decisions. All of these partners in protection provide reports to the court. The court considers all the facts and the recommendations made by the involved parties. Ultimately, the court makes the final decision about the direction that each case should take.

A system of checks and balances which very clearly is not working. Starting with “investigators” got upset that the family went to church each Sunday, and then lied in their report. A system that is more interested in removing the children and doing what brings in money, rather than what is right for the children. A system of checks and balances that, again, places children in with convicted sex offenders, despite that child’s own concerns for their safety, much less the family’s concerns. How nice of you to grant the parents a right they already have under the constitution, that of legal representation. No mention, however, of how this is provided or not provided by the state, and not really appreciated in many cased. What happens if the family can’t afford the representation? Also, are the social workers provided the same ones who lied in their report? And who does the prosecuting attorney represent: The State, the children in who’s names this horror is allegedly being done, or the parents? Where does the money come from to pay for this time, and does the state get additional money for such from the Clinton law? Also, how willing is the court to believe outside parties, particularly the parents, when the officers of the state have a vested interest in removing the children from the parents? About a $10,500 per child interest, plus other monies from the Fed?

While we recognize that the Crowton custody matter is a highly publicized case and others have revealed specific details, we must honor our legal obligation to protect confidential information. Public Act 238 of 1975 prohibits the FIA from releasing confidential case information to the general public. Nevertheless, be assured that the FIA takes your concerns seriously and will act on relevant information in a manner that serves the best interest of the children and family. Additionally, FIA also actively works with and involves the Office of the Children Ombudsman (OCO), which is an independent office established by law to review the actions of the FIA in child welfare cases. Any family or citizen can request an independent review of FIA or private agency cases by the OCO.

Gee, even though the Crowton’s have implicitly and explicitly waived that right and asked you to release details, get up off your duff and exercise your command responsibilities, much less your moral ones, and get involved? Nice cop out. As for the ODC, is that also funded under the child placement bounty act? Is it truly independent? What happens if it find lying and other criminal misdeeds on the part of the state and its agents?

Thank you again for your concern and involvement.

Jennifer M. Granholm
Governor

Politicalese for “shut up and go away, I am not going to get involved.”

Well Governor, you have to get involved. Every outside agency and organization, along with the family and friends of the family, have asked you to do so. As I pointed out before, there are clear problems here and they are happening on your watch, under your command. It is you who bears ultimate moral and legal responsibility for this, and you need to deal with this. What is happening is a travesty of justice, and if you want to retain any semblance of deserving the post you hold and the responsibilities that come with it, you will get involved and do the right thing.

This letter, obviously composed by a flunky who just does not get the new political and communications reality, serves to emphasize the poor response of the governor and the government in this case. I urge each and every reader to go research the case, and let the governor how you feel via fax and regular mail. Let’s put a spotlight on this until justice truly is done.

-30-

« ...howl's done

Harry, my mate, I hate to tell you this, you will never find a course on how a woman’s mind works. Forget giving up divination, it will always be a part of it. Forget also all the drivel you will hear from other men about not working, and all that load. Here, have a butterbeer, sit in front of the fire, and listen to the Wolfie.

The mind of woman is not meant to be understood by man. Not only is it ordained in the stars, they will change it if you do start to figure it out. Accept that there are certain ground rules, and you have had a run in with them already. Learn them, and all will go smoother. There is logic involved, but it is not for the mind of mortal males.

Always complement the women around you, and if you are on a date never mention another, not even your mother. Accept that beaus and such of theirs can and will come up, but never mention your female mates, relatives, or previous dates. No, laddie, not even to run them down. Safer that way, don’t you know.

In any argument, you are wrong. Apologize at once and go where you are pointed. If you are right, for crying out loud grovel. If you ever get an apology, accept it graciously.

Always smile at her, give her your shoulder for her tears, an arm to hold her, and an ear for her joys and sorrows. Be supportive, and find ways to encourage her in difficult things. Don’t just listen to her, but hear what she is really saying. It may seem a code sometimes, but you will soon learn it, and will have the courage to act on it.

Women are a joyous mystery to men. Accept that fact, and enjoy it. Exploring that mystery is one of the most fun and rewarding things we will ever do. It is not without its dangers and heartaches, but the rewards are more than you can possibly imagine. No class can teach it, some divination will help, and it is the thing in life that will demand the most courage of you, for you risk not your life, but your heart and soul when you do it. It is worth the risk, laddie, for when you do your heart and soul will grow far beyond your dreams.

In addition, you will have friends and partners who will be there for you. For you too will need that shoulder, that arm, that ear, and more. It goes both ways, my mate, and for what pain you experience now, you will get back so much more in the end.

-30-

« ...howl's done

First, put the ground meat in a bowl. Add in some olive oil (I use garlic olive oil and truffle oil), some Worcestershire sauce, some Tabasco, diced fresh onion, some liquid smoke (if you can’t grill but have to cook inside), spices to suit (chipotle, pepper, salt, cinnamon, etc.), shredded cheese, diced or sliced ripe olives, and if you like them sweet peppers. Mix together well, form into patties, and cook.

The olive oil provides the fat needed for cooking, helping improve the moisture, texture, and toughness. According to some old studies, it can even replace some of the bad fat that is left in the meat. Not sure if I believe that (have not seen follow-up studies), but it is a “good” fat where you need it. The other ingredients add flavor and moisture, and make it hard to beat. Go easy with the spices: remember, what you want to do is bring out the flavor of the meat and enhance it, not mask it. If you need to mask, you need to switch butchers.

Enjoy.

-30-

« ...howl's done

Ingredients:
1 large pork shoulder, least expensive cut
1-2 Spanish onions
12-18 cloves of garlic, peeled
1t fresh ground pepper
1T chipotle pepper
2-6 whole chipotle peppers
Water
1t salt

Equipment:
Cutting board
Knife
Stockpot/crockpot
Tongs

Directions:
Put roast in stockpot (or use a crockpot)
Peel one large Spanish onion, cut in half, cut halves into quarters, put all in stock pot
Put in 12-18 cloves of whole peeled garlic
Added a teaspoon or so of fresh ground pepper
Added almost 1T of chipotle pepper
Added several whole chipotle peppers
Cover well with water
Put on lid
Bring to a boil, then reduced to low simmer and let cook for 18+ hours (check regularly)
App. 1 hour before finishing, add salt

The meat will fall apart and all membranes, skin, bone, etc. can be easily separated in a matter of minutes. This method of cooking gives you the maximum amount of meat for minimum effort. It can then be served with BBQ sauce, mole sauce, or sauce of your choice.

I reserved about six cups of the broth, defatted it, and then reduced it until it was 1-2 cups of liquid. Once reduced, I added in bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, buerre blanc (equal parts flour and butter combined), butter (to aid incorporation of the chocolate and some more to finish the sauce), and a small amount of honey. This made something similar to a mole sauce. Tasty, with the heat from the chipotle, the bitterness of the chocolate, and the sweet of the honey combining nicely.

Enjoy.
-30-

« ...howl's done

Best Ribs: Fresh Air BBQ, Jackson, Georgia. These are the best ribs I have ever eaten anywhere in the world. They don’t need sauce, but putting on some of their homemade can bring out a world of extra flavor. They are tender, slow cooked, and you can bite into the bone and not know it until you taste the marrow. They only do a certain amount per day, and that is it, so get there early.

Best Pulled BBQ: Bar-B-Cutie, Nashville, Tennessee. Real BBQ is like this: moist, flavorful, and needing of no sauce to give it either. The gentle smoke brings out the flavor of the meat so well, and the texture is excellent. Word of advice, don’t get a large sandwich to go and try to eat it in the car as it is pretty much impossible to pick it up one handed.

Best Hot Dog: Byron’s Hot Dog Haus, Chicago, Illinois. Chicago knows how to do hotdogs better than anywhere else in the world, and Byron’s sets the standard for Chicago. One of their deluxe dogs is like great sex: it is going to be messy, get everywhere, but taste and be oh-so-fun. Don’t be a wimp, get the one with everything including the peppers.

Best Hamburger: Goose Island Brew Pub, Chicago, Illinois. The beer is wonderful, but they do a hamburger with a bleu cheese on it, served on a pumpernickel bun, that is to die for. Get it and a good IPA or Kilgubbin and enjoy. For dessert, if they have it, get the Imperial Russian Stout served in a snifter and do not drive. I rarely find a taxi driver who knows how to get there, but fortunately it is located across from a great place known to almost every driver: Sam’s Wine and Liquor Superstore. Give them that, then it is an easy find.

Honorable Mention: County Line Bar-B-Q, Albuquerque, New Mexico. I understand that there are now two locations, but the only one I have ever gone to is at the foot of Sandia. If you want fine dining, go on up the hill, but for good BBQ, pull up at the base and enjoy this place. A different style from what I grew up on, but good portions, fairly good flavors, and a lot of fun.

Before the screams of outrage being, let me say the following: Yes, I have had Memphis ribs; yes, I have had BBQ in Texas; yes, I do know better but am using BBQ because I am lazy; yes, I have had BBQ literally around the world; and, yes, I am biased but I have tried to be fair. These are my picks, and the fun is in trying things for yourself. Go, have fun, and enjoy.

-30-

« ...howl's done

The album that contained this wonderful song was called “The Visit” and in many ways it is still my favorite album of hers. So many wonderful songs are on there: Bonny Portmore, All Souls Night, Tango to Evora (quick geek test: see if someone thinks the title is TangoPro Eudora), The Old Ways, Cymbeline, Courtyard Lullaby, and more. It is a great starter album for exploring this powerful and talented musician.

Her album “Elemental” is good too, though I don’t tend to play it as much. Let’s face it, we males are pond scum in many ways, and there is a song on there in which she sings a true and potent curse at wayward males, and the fact that she sings it so sweetly only makes it worse in some ways.

Her album “Parallel Dreams” has several good songs, though “Huron ‘Beltane’ Fire Dance” is one of my favorites, along with “Dickens’ Dublin.” Her best known album is probably “The Mask and the Mirror” with its mixture of influences from the spice road. Her Christmas albums are well worth listening to, with a variety of old, truly traditional songs that are largely lost today.

Go on and check her out, and I doubt you will be disappointed. Her voice has a range that is incredible, and her talent as a writer, singer, and composer is top rate. She explores a variety of influences, yet never looses touch with her base. This is the reason she has earned a spot over on the right, and I hope you will go and explore.

-30-

« ...howl's done

He has always been quick witted, and did a lot of comedy sketches for meetings and events out at work. I think that finding a way to make something funny is a mechanism for coping with life, and particularly with work in that place.

If so, it held him in good stead last night as things went fast, furious, and funny for one and all. The entire troop was good, and a couple of them are excellent, and it was a great time. Only one skit came close to flat, and the others more than made up for the one lull. The coffee house where this was held was packed, with the shows being sold out. The coffee was really good too…

There are a lot of lessons that could be taken from the event, but there are two things that stand out for me. First, that there is humor in everything, be it black or otherwise. Second, that it was incredibly brave of him to do this and risk the failure, and even if he had not been good, he still would have been ahead of the game. That he didn’t fail, and did very well, is simply something else wonderful to enjoy.

-30-

« ...howl's done

Whatever else may be said about him, he was a man of strong courage and integrity. He held strong beliefs and would stick with them no matter what, just as he stood by those he believed in for whatever reason. His courage was demonstrated in many ways, not the least of which was serving, in his 40s, in the military and taking part in the D-Day invasion. Not only did he take part, but he was one of the ones crazy enough and courageous enough to go in by glider.

But what I will hold him up for the most is that he showed that people can, will, and do change for the better. This is a debate, nay, argument I have with some people. The fact is, we all make mistakes. Some are minor, some are major, but what truly matters is not that we made the mistake but how we deal with the mistake. Particularly if it is a mistake of the mind, be it an idea or an entire philosophy.

With those, it is very easy to deny a mistake was made and cling even more tightly to the thing in question. We close our minds, turn off all thought, reason, and soul and will deny the evidence physical, mental, or spiritual. We cling to the belief as if it were a talisman, we continue to not merely dislike a person but hate them. We do this not because of what they are, but because they stand as proof that we were wrong and that can never be admitted, so the hate grows.

Yes, Strom Thurmond was a racist and a bigot for a large part of his life. He did a remarkable feat of filibustering against the civil rights act, to the point of going into the steam room before he started so that he would not have to go to the restroom during the 24 hour plus session.

Yet, later in life he opened his mind at least somewhat and changed his position. He then became the first Southern senator to hire a black aide, and did what he felt was now right to do. He also pursued this new course with the same courage, determination, and integrity that he approached all things.

His “true” commitment to such will be debated by others, as will the overall record of his life and work. This is not an insignificant body and I rather suspect that it will be a hundred years or so before an objective analysis can be made, so I make no such attempt here.

For me, the greatest legacy he leaves behind is that he showed it is possible for people to change, to grow, and to do so for good. Strom Thurmond also showed that having the courage and integrity of ones convictions does not mean clinging to false ideas, but rather facing those ideas, determining their shortcomings, and changing so as to discard that which is false or wrong, and bringing in that which is true and good. This is the hardest thing a Man, male or female, can do and by comparison it is easy to charge someone with a gun in their hands. It is so much harder, and far more scary, to face yourself and to have the courage to charge.

Strom Thurmond had that courage, and the integrity to carry through. It is a challenge not merely to the colleagues left behind, but to all of us as well.

-30-

« ...howl's done

It was this flame that led her to flee, knowing that certain death awaited her if she failed. It was courage of the highest order that led her to place her faith in a country that she had not seen since she was five, even though that country was represented the State Department that at the least abandoned her to her fate, and had failed in its duty to so many other women.

It is with incredible sadness that I write that she was forced to leave without her two children. Her work now is to secure their release, and their freedom, and you can click here to read some of her words. Please do, as they are some of the most inspiring I have heard in some time. Our work is to examine what has happened, find ways to prevent these travesties from ever happening again, and to force those who are legally and morally responsible for her plight and the plight of other women and children to accept their responsibilities.

A number of congresscritters are highly upset with the State Department, as they well should be. While the idea has not made it to print where I have seen it, I both hope and call for Congressional investigations of not merely these incidents but others that reflect poorly on State.

I had hopes that when Colin Powell took over that he had been given the same instructions as several other agency heads: clean house. It is painfully obvious that the house has not been cleaned at Foggy Bottom, and that such is long overdue. There are ways to do this despite civil service protections, and if it means abolishing the department and starting over, well, that need not be such a bad thing.

Another point to consider is that diplomatic immunity and respect for laws is both a necessary thing and a concept that requires reciprocity. The House of Saud has made it clear that they do not respect our laws, with child custody being just the tip of that iceberg. If our laws are to be flaunted, there is no reason that we should respect theirs.

I would say that this point has escaped the attention of the lace panty brigade, but I think they understand it very well. The fact is, they don’t care because they are too busy playing a game that mere plebians could not possibly understand. Indeed, mere messy citizens all to often complicate the game and that simply cannot be allowed. After all, the game is what is important, not little things like law or national interest.

The Saudi’s do not respect our laws. They have contributed to terrorism on many levels, and the lines about contributing to humanitarian efforts and not terrorism do not hold up to examination. I will say that I do not think they lie on a technical basis, but it is also clear that they have studied at the Bill Clinton school of “define is” to create terms and phrases that just barely avoid the issue.

The winds are blowing colder towards Saudi Arabia right now, and that is a good thing. For a good crisp wind is needed to clean things out. Congress, and the President, need to send a similar wind down Foggy Bottom way as well, so that the much needed cleaning can take place there as well.

Meantime, despite State, the rest of us can find ways to help Sarah and the others who were not as lucky as she. We can pitch in and help in a variety of ways, from donations to political pressure. If that political pressure includes messages to our elected representatives and leaders to clean house, that is fine too.

-30-

« ...howl's done

My own vehicle, a Subaru Outback sedan, came with what I refer to as peel-and-eat tires of a brand – though not the same model – as became (in)famous with Ford Explorers. Even though I was assured by the dealer that they were safe, I switched them out immediately for some Yokohama racing tires.

Driving to the gym the other day, I suddenly began experiencing some strong vibration from the right rear whilst going 70 or so. This led to my going to the tire place that installed and maintains my tires, where it was discovered that the belt had broken in one tire. By sheer luck, this did not turn into a catastrophic wheel loss. It also turns out that some helpful soul had inflated all my tires to the max level indicated on the tires.

With standard tires, this is not good but not too bad. With racing tires, it is a very bad thing since they are supposed to be less inflated for proper traction and handling. Max pressure can and does very quickly become overpressure as the tires heat on the road. I do not know for sure that it was done during a recent service of the car, but sort of doubt the inflation fairy paid me a visit one night.

So, some quick advice is to let a good tire place who knows tires and what they are doing check your tires. Follow their advice on inflation and other issues as they are the keepers of the warranty. Finally, double check things at regular service just in case someone, trying to be helpful, did something they should not.

-30-

« ...howl's done

After school let out, I noticed that the neighbors did not seem to be home much or at all, but the cat was. From what I can tell, the wife and daughters are elsewhere and I think the husband is still around but is gone for stretches of time too. They left a bowl of food out for the cat, which did not last long around here, and it was not refilled for a good while. Still not sure it was refilled by them, think some of the other neighbors may have helped out a bit.

So, I jumped in. When I realized what was going on, I fed Tigersocks a time or two, with some tuna from the emergency stores. Made sure it had fresh, cool water for the heat, and have since gotten a bag of Meow Mix (on sale) and am making sure it does have food.

I am less than amused by parts of this, and highly amused by the fact that I now seem to have a cat keeping a close eye on me. Tigersocks is a bit annoyed at me on some fronts. As a two-legged pet, I should let him into his place and have been most rude in not doing so. Explanations of keys, property laws, shotguns, and the like make no difference on this. He wanted to come in with me yesterday, but allergies (strong) and a lack of flea collar make that a no-go.

The less-than-amused goes to how a lot of people, not just the neighbors, treat animals. I lived for a year in the mountains an hour or two from a major metropolitan area. The number of cats and other animals dumped up there with “Go, be free, return to the wild” is staggering. What happens to said animals is not pretty and I have often had to be the one to end them and/or their suffering. I used to keep some rock salt shells handy for the yuppie scum who did such, pity I never got a clear shot. Then again, the type people who would drop off in the mountains are most likely urban environmentalists who think nature is nice, peaceful, and sweet and have no concept of “red of tooth and claw.”

We will see what happens, but for now I am relatively content to have been temporarily adopted.

-30-

« ...howl's done

I became interested in the man courtesy of a spoof in a James Bond film, in which someone portraying him made a brief appearance. Sir Denis played into such things with a great sense of humor, such as a long-running spoof of his correspondence with a friend who was also editor of the Daily Telegraph.

This is a devastating loss to Lady Thatcher, who’s own health has not been up to snuff of late. My thoughts go out to her and to their family.

-30-

« ...howl's done

That one was “Battle Cry” and it had an effect on me very different than expected. From about the time I was 8, I read all I could get, or understand, on the Pacific Theatre of WWII. I got his book to read his treatment of that area, and came away with so much more. It taught some life lessons, ranging from overcoming adversity, finding true love, and the fact that eventually you may have to face down one or more of your parents – or your partner’s parents. The key of doing the right thing, even at a cost, resonated with me strongly.

I did not get into many of his other books as much, simply because they did not have as profound an impact as did “Battle Cry.” That is not a fair marker by which to judge books, especially from a good author. I may have to change that in the days ahead, for Leon Uris, and his wife, were powerful writers with a lot of good and interesting things to say.

He will be missed

-30-

« ...howl's done

Since there has been some confusion, let me state that this is not the case of a woman who married a Saudi and then encountered problems. Sarah was a child of a union between an American woman and a Saudi male, who later divorced. At age five according to reports, Sarah was sent on a parental visit, which may or may not have been court ordered (citations have been difficult obtain), and the father then refused to return her. Since he was in Saudi Arabia at the time, it was not a case for the police. It was a case for the lace panty brigade at Foggy Bottom.

According to the mother, who has appeared on Fox and other news shows, she was denied help by the State Department. She claims that she was told flat out that they would not help because they did not want to jeopardize relations with a critical ally.

I have little problem believing this, or some of the tales that have come out since Sarah made it to a consulate and sought sanctuary. While America was founded on individual liberty and rights, the State Department has obviated such since the early 1900s with the rise of what is known as Wilsonian Democracy. If you are not familiar with this term, when you finish reading this, go to the main page and click on U.S.S. Clueless Essential Links and read up. You will be glad you did.

After Independence, America did not have the might to fight England or other powers, but eventually did so anyway with impressments of seamen as the root cause of the war. What is now known as the War of 1812 was much more widely known for many years as
“The War of Jenkin’s Ear” over a particular incident that pushed us into war. It was the problems with attacks on individual Americans, and American shipping, that added the words “to the shores of Tripoli” to the Marine Hymn.

Yet this has changed and the 1900s saw many shameful and cowardly acts by the State Department, which failed miserably and utterly in many cases to defend individual Americans around the world. In the late 1900s, much of this took place when we did not want to upset allies or potential allies, and gave them leave to rape, torture, and murder American citizens who were inconvenient to them.

This history does colour my judgment towards the present situation. Given the back history of State, I can easily believe that neither it nor its career personnel would be willing to act in the best interest of an individual citizen. Most especially if it was inconvenient or might upset someone still considered an ally.
Okay, so we have a little girl who is kidnapped and a State Department that in no way, shape, or form would do anything about this clearly illegal act. Damn custody decrees, damn the fact that the kid was an American Citizen and therefore their boss, and damn all. They had to protect the best interests of the government, forgetting that we are the Government.

Fast forward 18 or so years, to a girl who is now a woman. A woman who reports abuse of various stripes by her father and her stepmother. A woman who was forced to marry a man chosen for her by her father. A woman who by Saudi law could not refuse him sex after a marriage to which she did not agree. A woman who cannot file rape charges as a result of non-consensual sex because of Saudi “law.” A woman who risked death by contacting her mother through the internet despite being forbidden to do so, but grabbed an opportunity and made the most of it. A woman who begged for help, and then did something that took massive courage: She fled and requested sanctuary at the closest American consulate.

She did this knowing that if caught that she would be punished, most likely by loosing her life. She did this despite having to do it on her own, since according to news interviews the consulate was not a taxi service and could not be bothered with picking up a Citizen who was in danger and needed help.

Despite the disinterest of the consulate, she did indeed make it with her two children in tow. This is where tales differ, and differ widely. According to her and her mother, she was denied food for a while because she did not have any money to buy it. Her mother was told by a consular official to wire money so she could get things. She was made to meet with Saudi officials on ten minute or less notice who demanded her return and the return of her children. She was then allegedly forced by a consular official to sign a document giving up her children to her husband and/or the Saudi government as a condition of her being allowed to leave. Other things are alleged, though to be fair State has a very different version of events.

Knee-jerk reactions aside, there are some strong questions here. Leaving aside the abandonment of an American Citizen to kidnapping, rape, and more, there are some legal questions that need answering. I attempted to get some help on this, but Eugene Volokh is swamped and was unable to recommend anyone else to contact. I contacted Steve at Little Tiny Lies, but the questions are outside his prevue.

So, what you are going to get are my takes on Constitutional law and a few more questions.

First, there is no doubt in my mind that Sarah was and remains and American Citizen. She was born of an American mother and was apparently born on United States Territory, thus making her a full, natural born Citizen. For those not familiar with that phrase, it means someone born on U.S. soil. American citizens can be born overseas, but unless they are born on U.S. soil, they can never be President. I came to know of this through the children of an uncle who was stationed overseas with the military. They tried hard to have all their children on U.S. soil to preserve that right, but were not able to do it for at least one of them.

Second, since she is an American Citizen, Sarah’s children should be American Citizens as well, even if born overseas and as the result of a forced marriage/rape. If this is not so, and you are a lawyer, please do let me know.

Third, the matter of custody should therefore be a province of the courts since the children are technically dual nationals as I understand it. Again, if this is not correct, please do let me know.

I bring up some of this because of a column by Wendy McElroy, in which she discusses the advisability of getting involved with what amounts to a custody dispute. Yet, I feel that while it is a custody dispute, that there are other matters that make it much more.

It is about the right of an American Citizen, Sarah Saga, to the protections guaranteed her by the Constitution and denied to her by the Department of State for reasons of political expediency.

It is about the rights of her children, who appear to my eye to meet the qualifications of citizenship, to those same protections

It is about doing what is right, not what is easy.

The Chamberlain brigade is already beginning a counter-spin to the tale and in all fairness I must admit that they may be telling the truth in some or all of it. Based on my experiences, and the history of this organization and recent actions and attitudes within it, I do have some strong doubts, however.

Yes, Sarah has been told she is free to leave at any time, but that she may not take her children with her. If the law says that they are not citizens, and if she was not forced into signing the forfeiture document but did so willingly and without coercion of any sort, then she must leave without them, no matter how heartbreaking it may be.

If, on the other hand, the children are Citizens, and/or the document was signed under any form of coercion, then they need to leave with her. The military has had a dictum long lost to State, we don’t leave anyone behind. If they have any claim on citizenship, then they must come out with her. The courts can then decide on custody and more, and the history of Saudi Arabia should be brought into the equation. If it takes military action to bring this about, then so be it.

It is far past time that the Department of State began attending to the responsibilities it owes to the Citizens who are its bosses and its Government. This case is as good a point as any.

-30-

UPDATE

« ...howl's done

America is founded on the idea of individual determination, individual merit, and of the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. No where is it guaranteed you will get same, just that you will have the opportunity to try. Affirmative action goes completely against this by presenting the idea of entitlement, and negating the concepts of hard work, determination, and individual achievement.

While I had no qualms about seeking scholarship funds for different portions of my ancestry, the very idea that I should get into a program or school because of said ancestry was something I could not and do not understand, nor do I agree with it. My ancestry is not germane to my ability to do a given job, or meet the standards of a given school. What is relevant are my grades, my work, and my ability.

To accept anything less than that is an insult, to all concerned. Where is pride in achievement? Where is determination to do well and go places? Would you make everyone an Eagle Scout simply because some can’t make it? A Green Beret? A member of NYPD?

No, race should have nothing to do with it, nor sex, nor orientation. What is supposed to count is the person, what they have done and what they show they can do. Just that.

If you want to increase the diversity in students or any other group, then start by giving up on education as it is taught today and go back to teaching. Teach them to think, to learn, to grow; get the families involved and cease making teachers and schools substitute parents and playpens; and, return to the idea of failure. Yes, there was shame in failing a course or a grade, but with that shame came an incentive to try again and do better. Grades and levels meant something and were not bowdlerized down in the name of inclusiveness and group feelgood. Quit treating one group as better or more needy than another, and start equality from the start.

Then, we won’t need special favors for any group and the country will benefit tremendously. Of course, it will rob a lot of politicians of power bases and victims to exploit, but I think we can all live with that.

-30-

« ...howl's done

Some of the pain was bad pain, but most likely the result of sleeping wrong on the damaged shoulder. The rest were just the normal aches of having pushed a bit further than I should have this week. They keep reminding me that I need to build a base, but I keep challenging myself to do more. One day I will learn. Funny, I could have sworn I just heard the Borzoi laughing…

Breakfast, cuppa, and a quick check of some key blogs to be sure all was right with the world, or as all right as possible. Many things to get the blood flowing, but will blog on jerk neighbors who shut down kids lemonade stands and the prisoner of the State Department’s Chamberlian brigade later. More also on Iranian bloggers soon as well. Nope today is for fun with friends and family.

0738 hours sees me calling the Werewolf and the Borzoi, as they are supposed to come to me today to go to a highland game. I figure that surely they were up by now, but was wrong, and was not terribly surprised. There is a thing called Borzoi time that applies, and I had not allowed enough lead to account for it. Got them to call me when they did leave, so that I could go run errands and still be back when they get here.

Shower, shave, the usual things, but this time there are phone messages from a friend also about the games. She and her others (husband and pets) are going to meet us at the games. Did they allow pets? Yes, we got it in writing this time. Also reminds me that I finally heard back from the games some three weeks after sending them a complaint. An apology, an explanation of why pets are no longer allowed, some confusion that will get a request for clarification, and an apology. Also, even better, they are going to put the no pets policy in a place where people can actually find it, such as on the main WWW page. If nothing else, that much good will come of the incident.

0920 sees me headed out on errands. The first is to the bookstore, to get my copy of Harry Potter, having been too tired and not so crazy as to go to the midnight sale. This also allows me to get a decent mocha and ensure that my blood sugar will be as frelled as possible today. Simple pleasures are so nice.

The Potter books are just such a simple pleasure. A delight to read, good versus evil, right versus wrong, adversity overcome, and some semi-realistic dealing with the cost of making the right choice versus the easy choice. I am so glad Chance and Calculation love the stories, as the Godsons get all this without getting a lecture.

I first began reading the books in Scotland, in the town of Pitlochry, where I was taking some time off. This is near where the author lives, though that was not a factor in deciding to read them. I had deliberately gone over to England without books, planning to pick some up there to force myself to try something new. As a result, when I went in the town bookstore, I saw the Potter books and bought the first one. I read it at my lodging and even at a pub, while sitting in front of the fire and a brisk winter night. Any book is improved by such settings, of good food, good local ale, and a comforting fire to take the chill out of the bones.

Pub food has changed over the years. What used to be just plain food has grown into very fancy feasts indeed, with pubs competing to offer not just the traditional things but more exotic and high-end dishes as well. Scotland is particularly good about this as you still have some independent pubs up there that have not been swallowed by the chains.

My idea of R&R needs to learn more emphasis on the Rest part, as I spent most of my time hiking and climbing to the tops of local mountains. A pack, a thermos of tea, a stop at the local butcher for a good venison pie, a shop at the greengrocer for cheese, and off you go. I was amused to find that one of the best trails there just happened to run between two distilleries, and I do strongly suspect some motive there. Both distilleries put out a fair product as well.

At the end of the day, I would come in for tea, clean up a bit, and then go out to restaurants and pubs for dinner. I don’t like to eat the same place twice, but did settle on one tea house in particular, who was also gracious enough to share some tea so I could make some for my thermos in the mornings. Some pubs were good, and one can encounter the species of shark known as a snooker shark at some, while others were just a good place to relax, and maybe even make new friends.

They were also a good place to read the Potter books, as an American could get some things explained to them about the background or words. Comfortable, in a word. By the time I left Scotland I had read two of the books I think, and I had read the third by the time I left England. While I can’t remember the exact number, I do remember that I had all the books then in print by the time I left. As with all authors, she is improving as she goes, and the net result is that I am very much looking forward to the latest, though I wish I could be back in Scotland, in front of a fire, with a good pint and some nice companions, to read it.

The fun thing about my errands were the reactions to people to someone running around in a kilt. Most were quite nice and courteous, though I think one lady at the bookstore thought I was in costume for the Harry Potter book, and full of questions. It now appears that two of my neighbors will be going to visit the games. One set of neighbors are a family from Kenya, and they were taught by Scottish missionaries and are very interested in things for that reason. The other neighbors were just plain curious and may show up.

Some people appeared to be a little intimidated, but I can’t understand why. To run the errands, I only had the dirk, utility knife, and skein dhu with me and had elected to leave the throwing axe and claymore at home. I can only imagine their reactions had I had those items with me as well.

It was a pleasant surprise not to get the two most common questions while out: What do you wear under it, and why are the ribbons down on your hat? The answer to the first is, to a female, there is only one way to find out. Males need not apply. The answer to the second takes a bit more time, but is very much liked by females.

I have been a bit cautions with the first for two reasons. First, some are easily offended and indeed look for something to which to take offense, and cleaning up after such can be messy. Second, a kinsman spouted that line off at a biker chick one time, and ended up having some of her male friends hold him in place whilst she took him up on the challenge. Figure he was scared enough she did not see much. Be very careful when, where, and to whom you smart off.

The second is fun, if a bit depressing. I really figured that at this point in my life the ribbons would be up. You see, only single males wear the ribbons down. According to lore, one of the ways of betrothal was for a lass to tie the ribbons up in public, thus announcing her choice of husband. To my mind this fits, since men really don’t have the choice in this they imagine. Most women today are intrigued at this idea of power and control (like they don’t know they still have it and use it), or at least in the public display of same.

My bonnet also gets comments because it does not bear a clan badge or military insignia, but instead a howling wolf done in silver. This is because of the fact that I regard the parent official society in Scotland to be a bunch of greedy twits, and dropped my membership in same, and because I got tired of some of the leaders and politics to do with the American chapters. There is a problem with being a director or officer in any organization, and that is you get to see the worst of that organization. In this case, the worst truly came down after I left my officer positions, so I just quit having anything to do with the organization though I still love to visit with individuals. And, even better, to go to the games just for fun.

And to the games we did go. I had agreed to meet a friend there and she called about 1100 to let me know of some potential problems. First, the parking lots were full so traffic was being diverted to an overflow lot, from which you had to take a bus back over to the games. The bus drivers were not sure about dogs, but did eventually let her on with her pup, an evil German Shepard assault dog, you know the ones with the extended magazine, fully automatic carnage, etc. This one is a safe version though, with marshmallow bullets which made the reaction, and the forced sitting in the back of the bus with a safety zone, all the more amusing.

The English Werewolf and the Borzoi pulled into my place just a few minutes latter, and we proceeded on our merry way. Thanks to the warning, we unloaded Sophie, Heathcliff, the Borzoi, and myself at the main gate while the Werewolf to find the other lot and meet up with us later. We made our way in and proceeded up to find food and other delights.

My friend met up with us on the way and we discovered an unanticipated problem: Sophie. Great Pyr’s are very protective, and that is the reason she is my director of security. That said, it must also be noted that Sopie is the alpha bitch of her household. Upon seeing another dog, she responded with barking, growling, and attempts to rend, maim, and destroy that would have been worthy of IMAO’s Chomps had I not used both hands, a firm voice, and a bit of luck to yank her up short. Things were calmed down fairly quickly, but it was clear that she was going to want to establish dominance over every other dog there. As the Borzoi put it, “She is the alpha bitch and some days the emphasis is on the bitch.”

Heathcliff ended up socializing well with other dogs, but Sophie did remain a bit of a problem. As the Werewolf put it, “We definitely need to work on socializing her a bit more.” Even so, we were able to continue the games and the kids flocked to Sophie in droves to pet and preen her, to her delight. Her attitude was definitely “Keep petting, keep scratching, and no one gets hurt.” My only problem with the situation was that I had planned to go trolling for dates with Sophie, and the only bites I got were all below the limit and had to be thrown back. Well, not quite true but the one over the limit was married, and thus had to be thrown back too. Double darn it as she was quite attractive.

This was a smaller game, but a nice one with good shade in many spots, spread out a bit, and some good vendors. They are building back up from some problems a few years ago that nearly destroyed them, from storms devastating the park where they used to be held, to some internal problems in finding people to run it. Nice bounce back, though, and the park where they are now is great and offers a lot of room for expansion.

One of the highlights of my day was finding Hamish’s Kitchen there. Hamish was one of those people I met when I first started going to games and was just a hoot. To call him a character was an understatement. He always reminded me of an English/Scottish character actor who played top sergeants in the movies, down to the “Laddie” he used. He was from Scotland originally, and his mobile kitchen always features a sign saying “English Spoken. American Understood.” He has, alas, passed on but his daughter continues the tradition. While I did not partake of the excellent fish and chips, I did get my Scotch Egg (hardboiled egg, packed in a sausage mixture, rolled in bread crumbs, and deep fried), and a deep-fried Mars bar. At another vendor I had a good meat pie and bought a dozen frozen to bring home with me. Need to check my HP sauce…

The day was absolutely gorgeous, with the sky a blue as to remind me very much of a Maxfield Parrish painting. The temperatures stayed pleasant for the most part, to the point the pups only tanked up on water once. We “pets” were good and did not check our e-mail once, though the pups often checked the pee-mail that had been left around for the canine set. The entertainment was quite good for such a small games, from the dancing to the music, my only regret being that there was no vendor there with a good music selection. Indeed, only one place had any music and that was not an album I was interested in buying.

There was a new vendor there, though, who did things with stone and glass. They had some very nice things and I lusted after a hand-done (better than 45 hours of work went into it) wooden plate with a wonderful Celtic Lady design. More than I could afford right now, but if and when some money comes in, that plate will be mine. As it was, I walked away with a cobalt blue hand made water tumbler with a fair wolf done on the side. In silver. I am a very happy wolf.

We finally left around 1600 hours and caught a bus back over to the satellite parking. No problems about our pups having to sit in the back, but I did discover that school busses are not designed for people above 5’5”, and especially not for people at 5’10” and above wearing a two-handed claymore. I made it, and only came close to putting one hole through the roof with said sword (or head).

Our first goal out and about was to go get the Borzoi some lemonade, and we then went and did a small amount of antiquing, and then went to a furniture store. Now this is a nice furniture store, but the real reason we went was that they use a Great Pyr in their advertising. The Pyr was not in yesterday, but her owner/pet was and Sophie and Heathcliff were invited in and a great visit was had by all. Just like Sophie, the store Pyr was a rescue dog, being saved from a local pound. Sophie has been invited back, and I saw a leather sofa that I really liked and want to explore further.

Then it was dinner time, and it was an entertaining meal, though I should be cinders by now. We went to a local Thai place where the Borzoi loves the tom kah kai soup to get appetizers and soup. By pure luck, we found a parking place right in front of the restaurant, and as luck would have it our table was right in front of the window that was in front of the van. The position was such that the Werewolf and the Borzoi were somewhat facing away, but I was looking almost right towards it.

I spent the meal getting looks from the van.

Now, it is not as if we were being cruel. The van was on, the air conditioner running, Prairie Home Companion playing on the radio (ok, maybe that was mean), and they were not lacking. They had had fish and other delights at the games, though I did refuse to share my deep fried Mars bar with Heathcliff, despite entreaties. Net result is that they were not thirsty or starving. Yet, every time I looked up over the half curtain in the window, I was met with a sad look from Heathcliff. This look was often joined in stereo with a more militant look from Sophie, who’s occasional “Woof” in response to waves and such made it very clear they could see into the restaurant. I spent part of the meal with my head down below the level of the curtain, avoiding looks.

After some wonderful appetizers that were meals in and of themselves, and cauldrons and bowls of tom kah kai, we went to another Thai restaurant on the south side of town, for dessert. There, we got some more appetizers and the coconut ice cream for which the Borzoi has fallen hard. And with good reason as it is wonderful. The mango we got just to try was good, but nowhere near the other. Since I was not driving, I indulged in a couple of martunies and was a very happy wolf yet again.

We all but closed the restaurant, and it was nearly 2200 hours by the time we got back to my place. The pups were walked and we talked for a while, with the net result being that they did not get to start their drive back home until about 2315 hours. I hope they made it home safe, and figure the pups and the Borzoi were out before they got to the highway. That is the usual state of affairs, and I am glad the Werewolf does not get sleepy very easily.

We had a great day, and I hope you did too. I also hope you liked this little effort at a day log and something a bit more literary.

-30-

« ...howl's done

This is in contrast to lets say a science journal, where stories usually are produced in a manner of months, reviewed by outside experts in the field of the story who approve or disapprove it, and who often provide commentary to go with the story. The process is relaxed, and deadlines are in terms of months or more, instead of hours and minutes.

Both have one thing in common, however. Journalism and peer-reviewed science writing count on people who are knowledgeable in their field to write and edit the stories in question. Journalism is increasingly requiring reporters who are intimately familiar with given subject areas, from science to law to business. While it is required, it is often not the case and it is not at all unusual to find that editors assign a general reporter to cover a major story that needs a specialist instead of the staff or freelance specialist.

This is a subject that has been debated hotly and long within journalistic circles, as well as being the stuff of water cooler discussion as well. In some cases, it is because the general assignment reporter is a name or someone they trust to give the story the particular slant desired. In some cases it simply reflects a deep seated prejudice on the part of the editor, who most likely came up as a general assignment reporter and is still not comfortable with specialization. In other cases it is probably nothing more than a brain fart on the part of the assignments editor. Other scenarios may be applicable as well. You pays your money, you picks your reality.

That there is a prejudice within journalism against specialists is something of a given. When I was starting out, I could have already retired if I had a dime for every editor who said to me that the public was not interested in science. It didn’t matter if the paper in question had just conducted a poll that showed they were, the editors did not understand science, were scared of it, so “the public” was the same. I have seen it in other areas as well, and the horror stories by other specialists, such as in business, are both funny and heartbreaking.

But to be fair to many in editorial positions, there is another concern that lurks: conflict of interest. There were and are some in power who fear the specialist because they do know the subject matter. They have studied it, covered it, and are intimately familiar with this. While the validity of the fear is doubtful, I think that there lurks within the subconscious of the editors mind the idea that because the reporter is an expert that they have been co-opted and can no longer write objectively.

One area where this can be clearly seen is in coverage of the military. For many years, I found it was the kiss of death to let anyone know you were familiar with such, or had even been in ROTC. If you did so, you were immediately branded the enemy and heavens help you. This was part and parcel of the war waged by The Media against the military (see this for more on that topic), but I also feel it is indicative of how The Media feels about other specialties as well.

It also does not help that in many institutions, the copy desk is not required to run specialist stories back by the writer after editing. The result is that stories that started out both accurate and precise (and there can be a big difference between the two) end up garbage. If lucky, it may be just a bad headline, such as one that was in a paper during a Shuttle mission. The mission featured some plasma physics experiments and the headline identified the payload as a blood experiment. At worst, you get factual errors that can endanger the public with faulty information.

So, I think it essential that The Media and related outlets embrace the era of specialization. Knowledge and familiarity do not mean subversion or conflict of interest, but are crucial to accurate and fair reporting. This specialization needs to extend from the writing all the way through the editing. You have that specialist for a reason, let them do their job and learn how they can help you do yours as well. That does not diminish you in any way; indeed, it shows that you are a big person for being willing to do so.

So, today’s suggestions are as follows:

1. Make use of specialists in subject areas, particularly in science, business, law, military, and other arcane matters.
2. Make use of specialists all the way through the process.
3. No outlet can have all the specialists it needs, so make use of freelance specialists as well.
4. Since no outlet can have specialists in all areas, if you see a problem let the outlet know in a constructive manner. Offer to help them with correction, correct information, introduction to experts, etc.
5. If the outlet won’t make a correction or is otherwise uninterested, let the blogs know and see if pressure can be applied that way. Public ridicule can work wonders…
6. Be an informed consumer of news from The Media. Learn the track records and background of the local or other reporters of interest. If you find they are lacking, switch media and let it be known. Media outlets are businesses, and they can and will change tunes – and reporters or editors – if the proper motivation is applied.

There is, of course, more to come. Stay tuned.

-30-

NEXT

« ...howl's done